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Gazprom resumes full gas flows to Belarus, Belarus demands transit fee

Today (24 June) Gazprom said Belarus has paid 187 million USD to Russia, thereby settling its gas debt. Consequently, Russia said it is fully resuming gas supplies to Belarus. This was announced by Gazprom head, Alexei Miller.

A spokeswoman for President Dmitry Medvedev said Miller informed the president in a phone call today that Belarus has "fully paid" its debt and that the gas company would resume supplies.

Meanwhile, Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said today the Russian company has paid Belarus 228 million USD as a fee for transiting Russian gas to Europe. "There are no problems that could hamper gas supplies or transit," he said, adding "all necessary commands have been made" to resume gas supplies to Belarus. Belarus threatened to shut down pipelines carrying Russian gas and oil to European markets across its territory unless Gazprom paid 260 million USD, Belarus says the company owes it in transit fees. According to the Russian energy giant this was too much.

Belarus, however, has said it did not receive any transit fees from Gazprom as of 11:30 Moscow time (GMT 07:30), an unknown source at Beltransgaz, the country's pipeline system operator, reported. "As of now, the gas transit payment has not arrived," the unknown source said. Therefore, Belarus First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko said that Belarus will cut Russian gas deliveries to Europe via its territory if Russian gas monopoly Gazprom pays less than the 260 million USD. Minsk considered the 228 million USD that Gazprom paid as an advance payment, or 87% of the total owed to Belarus, and gave Moscow two additional hours to officially notify the Belarusian authorities of the payment, he said.

Gazprom this week reduced deliveries to Belarus by 60 percent as a dispute over unpaid bills between the two sides escalated. The company initially cut supplies by 15% on Monday (21 June), doubling the reduction to 30% on Tuesday (22 June) and again to 60% yesterday (23 June). Yesterday, Belarus said it had paid 7 million to Russia to cover the debt.

Sources: Ria Novosti; RFE/RL; Charter 97